Artcurial’s gavel went to work over the winter vacation period. So much so that the auction house is seriously considering opening a permanent site in Monaco.
Twelve times, the gavel struck to close auction goods exceeding 100,000 euros! The record item reached 306,600 euros for a yellow gold necklace adorned with a diamond of 9.12 carats. In total, Artcurial made a total of € 6.5 million in cumulative sales during its third winter auction at the Yacht-Club de Monaco – a record performance for the auction house.
Two events per year
Four traveling auctions were organized by auctioneer François Tajan and his team of experts. One of which was a bold show entitled “Le Temps est féminin”, dedicated to women’s watchmaking, which amassed 2,246,460 euros. This marks an increase of 23% in the watchmaking sector compared to last year. The highest sale was attributed to an art deco Van Cleef & Arpels, which soared to 227,200 euros, far surpassing its estimated high of 12,000 euros. On the watchmaking side, the gavel fell struck for 226,000 euros on a Rolex Panerai / Rolex Type A Radiomir. A note also goes to the Vintage Hermes department, which saw a matte red alligator Birkin leave the room for 35,100 euros.
This winter session was particularly popular with international buyers (39 nationalities), who represented 67% of the clientele. The “Le Temps est féminin” was frequented by 87% foreign buyers.
This renewed success from year to year is opening new horizons for Artcurial, which organizes two events a year in Monaco over the summer and winter. The excellent numbers that those sales have generated are prompting the international auction house’s interest in opening a permanent site in the Principality. François Tajan has hinted at a building close to the Casino. More news to come!
*Article originally published on the French edition of the Monaco Tribune.